Mass Collision

24. Birthday

Natalia had headed down to breakfast with Pansy. They were the first down. Blaise and Theo had joined them not too long after. Mail arrived and a Daily prophet was dropped in front of Theo. He unwrapped it and his eyes widened as he turned it so they could see. Draco and Daphne joined them, looking at the prophet.

There were ten black and- white photographs that filled the whole of the front page, nine showing wizards' faces and the tenth, a witch's. Some of the people in the photographs were silently jeering; others were tapping their fingers on the frame of their pictures, looking insolent. Each picture was captioned with a name and the crime for which the person had been sent to Azkaban. Antonin Dolohov, read the legend beneath a wizard with a long, pale, twisted face who was sneering, convicted of the brutal murders of Gideon and Fabian Prewett.

Augustus Rookwood, said the caption beneath a pockmarked man with greasy hair who was leaning against the edge of his picture, looking bored, convicted of leaking Ministry of Magic secrets to He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named.

The one face that jumped out at everyone was the witch's. She had long, dark hair that looked unkempt and straggly in the picture. She glared up at them through heavily lidded eyes, an arrogant, disdainful smile playing around her thin mouth. Like Sirius, she retained vestiges of great good looks, but something - perhaps Azkaban - had taken most of her beauty.

Bellatrix Lestrange, convicted of the torture and permanent incapacitation of Frank and Alice Longbottom.

MASS BREAKOUT FROM AZKABAN

MINISTRY FEARS BLACK IS 'RALLYING POINT' FOR OLD DEATH EATERS

"Holy shit!" Natalia cursed as she continued to read.

"We're fucked," Theo complained, shaking his head as his had rubbed his face.

The Ministry of Magic announced late last night that there has been a mass breakout from Azkaban. Speaking to reporters in his private office, Cornelius Fudge, Minister for Magic, confirmed that ten high-security prisoners escaped in the early hours of yesterday evening and that he has already informed the Muggle Prime Minister of the dangerous nature of these individuals.

"We find ourselves, most unfortunately, in the same position we were two and a half years ago when the murderer Sirius Black escaped," said Fudge last night. "Nor do we think the two breakouts are unrelated. An escape of this magnitude suggests outside help, and we must remember that Black, as the first person ever to break out of Azkaban, would be ideally placed to help others follow in his footsteps. We think it likely that these individuals, who include Black's cousin, Bellatrix Lestrange, have rallied around Black as their leader. We are, however, doing all we can to round up the criminals, and we beg the magical community to remain alert and cautious. On no account should any of these individuals be approached."

"Sirius Black isn't dangerous," Natalia scoffed.

"Well of course not, he was the rebel sibling," Draco agreed. "He's my mother's cousin. Bellatrix is my aunt. There was never any way that Sirius had committed those crimes."

"That's kind of a relief," Daphne said, giving a little shrug.

"At least we know they're with us," Pansy shivered, imagining if they weren't.

Yeah, imagine.

For the days following, everyone was doubling their efforts in the DA. Especially Neville. Everyone was fueled by the knowledge of more dangerous Death Eaters being on the loose. Natalia had been having great progress in Occlumency. She was getting really good, she was even starting on Legilimency. She had been the one doing the spell on Harry now, which was helping with his progress.

January was passing in the blink of an eye and all of the sudden, it was the 28th. Natalia– according to the year was 65, but physically was 15 again. Only bad thing was it was a freaking Tuesday. What she really wanted to do instead of classes was to curl up in bed and sleep the day away.

But, she got up anyway and went to breakfast. Mail arrived and several things were placed in front of her, making her groan. "Woah, what's this for?" Draco asked her. "Is it someone's birthday?" He teased, laughing.

"Yeah, actually," she confirmed and he stopped laughing and they all looked at her.

"Happy Birthday!" They all said at the same time.

"Thanks," she told them. "I'm going to put these in the room and open them later." She got up and took the four packages with her. One said from Tonks & Kingsley, one was from the Weasleys, one was from Remus and Sirius, and the last one was unmarked, but it was a vibrant purple color that looked to be switching to a pink. Must be some spell.

She walked down to the dungeons and to her dorm room. She set the gifts down on the bed and was going to leave but– well she still had time before her first class. Natalia turned back around and grabbed the first present, the Weasley's. She unwrapped it to find a box of homemade fudge. She loved the ones she got for Christmas and she was savoring them.

She moved to the second present from Sirius and Remus. She got very confused and pulled out the gift. They were slippers, made out of bread. She took the note that was inside one of the slippers. It was written in Sirius's handwriting.

I hope you enjoy your dippers. Get it because you dip bread and they're slippers... Yeah, not my best joke. However, I did stuff a knife in the bread! Hope it makes it easier to cut *wink wink*. It was my brothers. HAPPY BIRTHDAY FROM REMUS AND I! Can't wait to see you again after break!

Natalia smiled at the gift and reached slowly inside the other slipper and grabbed the hilt of the knife. She pulled it out and gasped. It was a beautiful knife, polished, the hilt was a dark green with R.A.B carved into the side.

She quickly hid it in her bedside drawer and closed it. She moved to grab the gift from Tonks and Kingsley, who she assumed told the rest of them since she didn't. She unwrapped it into a book, it wasn't just any book. It had pictures. Pictures of her, with Harry, with the twins, practicing magic. She looked happy. She closed the book and held it to her chest as she started to cry.

She wiped her tears as she picked up the bottom one tha twas changing colors. She took off the wrapping paper and opened the box to a mirror. She held it up to her face and Saw Leo in his workshop. She gasped and looked into the box, there was a note.

I thought you might like to be able to see your family while you still know who they are

-You know

Natalia broke down crying again as she slid down the side of her bed and onto the floor.